Greenworks reel mower - amzn.to/4b27mLr Earthwise 7 blade manual reel mower - amzn.to/3JnRqr1 Elite Grass Seed - ryanknorrlawncare.com/product-category/grass-seed/ryan-knorr-lawn-care-grass-seed/ Ryan Knorr Lawn Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs below. An affiliate advertising program is designed to provide a means for sites and creators to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com or other product sites. I receive a small commission through these links.
As a veteran of using manual reel mowers on 419 Bermuda hybrids, I’d like to offer s few observations from my experiences: 1) when getting very low (1” and below) the lighter, less expensive reel mowers (such as the otherwise excellent Scott’s 20”) just don’t work well. Once your grass thickens up from the low cut, the mower (even the Scotts at its lowest setting of 1”) will bounce off the grass, making it necessary to go over areas repeatedly and from various angles. 2) heavier manual reel mowers add much needed momentum to the job, making hangups due to surface irregularities or super-dense areas a breeze to push through 3) the over all time to manual reel mow often vs using a typical 21” rotary less often will be about the same, the key difference is you can not afford to miss a manual mow by more than a day or two, making a rotary mower as a backup essential. With a higher quality, heavy manual reel mower, you can mow FAST. I typically sprint across the yard, and my mower never bounces, it just shreds through (it gets cuttings hitting my neck, but whatever) 4) the Fiskars is a great mower for the price but it will not get you down to 419 Bermuda low low levels 5) the $300+ 21” Mascot Silent Cut does sub-1/2” cuts with ease. It’ll eventually level your yard for you (by shaving off high spots). After one pass with it I realized it was worth the money (which is dirt cheap by rotary standards but around 3x the cost of the Scotts). It’s low scissor like cut changed the nature of my grass and had both neighbors and their lawn care professionals claiming that I had replaced my grass with something new. I can’t praise it enough. Takes me 30 min to do a very complex 4000 sq ft front yard and 20 min to do a 5000 sq ft simpler backyard (I sprint on the runs, like an offensive lineman hitting the practice skids). I’m 56 years old, fwiw.
Is there Any heavy duty Manuel reel mower under $200? I just need it for some spots that I can’t get on with my stand on mower because of the angle I would fall of my mower so I don’t need a big one a 14”-17” would do. I don’t need the 21” that’s too wide for the spot I need the reeler for
@@astroid99 Ha! TY! I have to take care of too many lawns now to use the manual reel and still have the time and energy to lift/ride/etc. I am thinking maybe of just doing it on my front yard (4000)..... But if anyone has smaller area to mow and doesn't mind the clippings getting all over them (keep some reel-mowing-only junk pants and socks and shoes around) it can't be beat. Everyone should exercise, but this way you get to admire the results of your exercise.
The city water company had to replace their sewage pipes in our sub-division and destroyed all of our yards. All of that preparation the previous season wasted. Half of the yard looks decent, the other half looks too high. They placed different grass sod than the yard had and they put them on at a higher elevation, so it looks like the yard is not even. I'm sure it will eventually adjust and there will be an artificial high mound where they placed the sod. I'll have to reset everything again this year to get everything matching.
Almost Perfect Vid Ryan ! One thing I would have added is Reel Mower maintenance, i.e. Blade Sharpening and or Back Lapping. But that aside you hit every point right on and as always A++++ rating on the video and editing! I seriously sit and wait sometimes for you vids to come out. Feeling like a Soap Opera Junky LOL! Keep-um coming! Chad Upstate NY
Haha yeah I felt like if the statement "mow every other day or sometimes every day" still had people interested then a little extra maintenance is not going to scare them either. :)
@@ryanknorrlawncare Haha! You got a good point there. What camera's are you using? just popped this Vid up on my LG OLED TV watched it int 4k HDR. I could see everything like I was standing there! Un-Reel! I don't think any other creator in lawn care is sending 4K HDR up but you. Awesome!
@@ryanknorrlawncare If your looking for a new Action cam check out the DJI OSMO Action, I got one for my son and I am really liking it myself verses the Go-Pro 7 Black. As for a camera with changeable lenses and zoom I would stick with Panasonic they still make awesome cameras! My 2-cents for what its worth!
But I always notice lawns! I don't want to be one of those people with the Tru-Green or Chem-Lawn sign in the front! I want to do it myself, with the fewest chemicals possible to achieve the look. I'm willing to put in the time.
don't worry the East Siberian Arctic Shelf Methane Bomb has been triggered. Abrupt global warming will be doubling soon. The Fungi are definitely gonna take over the lawns. haha. arctic-news.blogspot.com
I’m so glad you made this video. This is what initially got me in trouble with my lawn many years ago. Having tall fescue and not aware of its proper cut height, I initially purchased a reel mower with a battery assist (Brill). I was trying to be more environmentally conscious, and I heard reel blades gave a better cut. Plus I thought the battery power was great. For a while I could cut it with this mower, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult. Over time the lawn turned into a weed salad. I’m so grateful for this lawn care community. I have been watching your videos since the beginning of this year, and thanks to your advice, I’ve been able to turn this lawn around. 👍🏻
dude if i cut my lawn that short the sun would fry it...I am in california during summer i leave it tall and water twice a day to keep it green. if i forget a day its burnt spots. we get weeks of 100+ days. What part of the country are you in?
Yeah I live is southern ontario and it is scorching and humid everyday through the summer. the only way I'd have a lawn like this is if I kept the sprinkler running 24/7. And there's no way to have 3/4 grass here unless it's your full time job.
I'm in South Australia and it's damn hot here in summers. Key is watering and also grass type. I have a warm season grass - specifically Santa Ana couch which I think is called Bermuda there. Watering is done only 1-2 times a week and I make sure an inch of water gets on it per week which on my sprinklers is an hour, in summer I split that to two 30min sessions. Also water early morning so it has time to soak in. Watering less often causes the grass to improve its root system. Also coring and decent fertilisers. Just got to be doing the right things. My grass is about 15-18mm
I cannot thank you enough for all the great content. My yard is looking a hundred times better than it used to and I tell everyone about your channel when they ask about my lawn
i like my reel mower. great channel by the way. anyway im not into a short grass look yet and the reel mower cuts extremely well. after using it i am amazed as to how even it cuts and takes the same amount of time if i had used a rotor mower. my opinion the rotor cant compete with the reel mower if you stay on top of your lawn mowing. i think i even hear my grass applaud and breath a sigh of relief when i use it.
I have always been told that cutting your grass to short is not good for it. It seems like you cut yours very short. Can you explain why and if the advice I have always gotten isn’t the best. FWIW, I live in Central Illinois.
If you love your lawn, have the time and money then a powered reel mower with a cartridge system is what you want, if not then the rotary is for you. If you have steep hills then a rotary probably works best. Btw, Ryan, you should do a video on how to backlap your reels mowers.
Hey Ryan, greetings from Poland, Europe! :) Do you hav any experience with microclover lawn? I'll be doing one shortly and I'm wondering which kind of mower will be the best for it. Cheers!
The dethatching/power raking step is crucial. I had the same experience taking my front yard down. Made it so much easier. Feels much softer and more enjoyable to walk on after as well!
Try a UK cylinder (reel) mower with 16 or 20 blades, the finish is amazing. We use them for cricket squares, bowling greens and tennis courts, they make them look like velvet.
Thanks for the tip Ryan. I’ve been cutting at 1.5” -1.75” on the same hrx you have. Tonight I went down on a test strip to ~1” and that’s when I realized I can’t go that low without leveling. I’m encourage to try but that maybe a project for next year. Enjoy all your videos..thanks!
Ryan: I watched a recent UA-cam video of the English Arsenal football club and they were mowing the playing surface. they were using rotary honda mowers, but they replaced the rear wheels with a roller to help create the stripes and get the mower very low. I have seen roller attachment behind rotary mower, but I didn’t know if you had ever seen someone take off the rear wheels and replace them with a cylinder roller. They were mowing below 1/2 inch for sure.
Ryan Knorr Lawn Care Thanks for replying. I do know about scalping first-hand as I just cut my Bermuda front yard 1/2 inch with a rotary yard and it is showing some rings from it being too low. I am now telling my wife I need a cylinder mower, so I have my eye on an Allett electric mower. Have you ever seen an Allett performance first-hand?
I prefer taller grass in my yard. It's like do you want berber carpet or plush, lol. That and we had those reel mowers when I was a kid and they are a PITA to use especially if there's any crabgrass or dandelions in the yard. I'll leave those reel mowers to the Amish.
Which regards to rotary mowers, the speed that you walk has an affect on the cut quality. If you walk more slowly the blades rotate more times over a given area and the suction has more time to lift the grass.
i just want to know why a basic lawnmower now has jumped up to 230% vs a decade r two ago when u could buy em @ ur local hardware store for bout 100 dollars...now they want 260 to 330 dollars for em...a freakun rip off...
I'm sorry, can you explain why you want the grass so short? I live in Maryland, the edge of "transition zone" and we primarily have cool season grasses with some occasional zoysia. I mow as high as I can so the grass is more easily striped and grows healthier. When someone mows it short, we call it scalping and it looks awful and hurts the grass. I know some grasses should be cut low, such as Bermuda or such, but you saying numbers such as 1.75", 1.25", and 0.75" is scary!
I'm pretty sure its just an aesthetic choice, he wants that golf course look and feel on his lawn. There is no way in hell I would be mowing my lawn every other (and sometimes every!) day but it does look appealing.
I'm watching a dude mow his lawn. I have no idea what put this into my UA-cam feed, but here I am. Not gonna lie . . . alcohol may have been a contributing factor.
I have two yards to care for, mine and my sisters--who lives next door. It's tough work, since I do it with one rotary mower. I'd love to go with reel for the two front lawns. Is it possible to use one in one area, one in another, and not have the fronts and backs look noticeably different? Right now the lawns are in terrible shape. My baseball coach/son, who has to care for his field, is going to help me this fall, but I want to have a plan. Any suggestions for that? I'm willing to spent a moderate amount of $$$, and I expect this to be a several-year project.
Just started following your channel three weeks ago, wanting to get a better lawn. 10 days ago I dethatched, topsoiled and prepared the (now extremely bare) lawn. 8 days ago I sowed (with some RPR I got from the greenkeeper at my golf club), and today the first few leaves of grass has shown. Now I just need to convince my wife that a Swardman is essential. P.S. Temperatures are hovering around 15 C (60 F) at the moment.
Why not use multiple wheels with multiple blades and allow the wheels to go up and down with the flatness or bumps of the lawn like angstrom style and power it by some nickola tesla sending electricity to the mower so you don't cut the cord like that? :)
Another amazingly informative video. Thanks, perhaps touch a bit on leveling the lawn before going to a reel mower so you won’t have scalp marks all over the lawn. Having a nice flat surface makes reel mowing possible
Thank you Ryan. I bought a manual mower and it worked just fine. . . I had to run over a few more passes and the outcome was excellent. . . I have saved myself of the running cost of these machines. . .
Very interesting and educational video, Ryan! In 1953, my father bought our first self-propelled reel-style lawn mower, manufactured by REO, a division of the car/truck manufacturer, at the time. Years later, we replaced it with a rotary mower. It seems like our experience with the reel mower was that it seemed to cut the grass, instead of tearing it, as our rotary mower did. Maybe it was because my dad sharpened our reel mower blades regularly? Either way, it was an interesting experience. Thank you!
Every other day for me, but I can do it just before dawn and begin the day with a nice warmup! Much faster than how long it takes me to mow with my 21” Toro, too.
So inspiring to watch - I get addicted to these vids. Initially I bought a Gardena Sileno Smart 500 - but just borrowed a AL-KO Gudenaa GU 400 from one of my friends - and what a cut! Dont think Im gonna keep my Gardena Sileno Smart 500, might as well gonna sell it again. Cheers from Denmark!
Very informative video, thanks! Learned things about grass height. For my asthmatic family and some neighbors, air quality trumps cut quality so I've always used a push reel mower, which for me is the traditional mower dating back to the 1800s. Although I suppose scythes and livestock date back even further.
Mowing every 1-2 days?! More power to y'all "low mowers", but this is definitely not for me :) It's funny people think that mowing low means less mowing, but the 1/3 rule actually means MORE mowing, unless of course you don't mind a stressed brown lawn every week. P.S. My wife thinks I'm crazy for watching lawn videos all the time :D
Cutting your lawn with a rotary mower is like cutting your hair with a butter knife being used by Chuck Norris. Cutting your lawn with a reel mower is like cutting your hair with scissors at a barbershop.
This is a good reference video for the future on compare/contrast the different mowers. Question and apologies if I missed the answer: how level does the land need to be to benefit from a reel mower?
Love the video! I got into reel mowing when I bought a townhouse. Front lawn is 270 sqft. House had a reel mower in the basement. I didn't want to store oil and gas and a rotary mower because space is at a premium. Reel it is and I love it!
Makita makes a cordless scarifier marketed in UK, I would love to get my hands on it. I would dethatch the power cable with my luck if I had a GreenWorks or SunJoe 😉
Plus, I am Zone 8B (plants), so I typically cut my lawn at 2 1/2"-3 1/4". As these Northern Grasses are healthier at "longer lenghths". Any suggestions are WELCOME!😎 Thank you for sharing your video series! Take care, 🤓 -Thomas Western Washington State
Once the crappy weather is on it’s way out and the grass starts to finally grow,. I get into the mindset of mowing as I feel it’s getting too long, this in turn helps with my mindset and depression a lot. After watching thing I’m looking forward to seeing some more sunshine and a nicely cut lawn. Thanks for your show, you pass on tips and trick that I would have gotten from my grandfather who was a greens man for a local outside bowling club. Keep up the great work and I will keep looking forward to seeing some of your new videos...Phil in the UK 🇬🇧
Ryan, how smooth does the ground need to be to reel mow? You used your reel mower on what looked to be outside of your fence, which I doubt you have ever leveled!
I’m revisiting this video now, because I’ve got the fee-va.... So, I’m using Black Beauty Ultra in my front yard. I’m really thinking about going to the reel. I already mow daily or every other now with my Honda rotary at 2.5”. If I was to go to a Cali Trimmer that will cut at 2.25” will I be OK? That Black Beauty is mostly TTTF/Rye/KBG. Am I crazy to go down this road?
I did purchase a rotary mower with a string trimmer, edging tool, etc (Ego tools). I have a backyard and front including side (corner house) to mow. The bagging gets too tiring. Only the back or front gets 2 and 1/2, 40G bags 3/4 full. I was thinking of mulching but then read about thatching concerns. What is the best way for me to mow without bagging? What would be the frequency and extra care that I need to take? I am looking for a low cut grass. Do I need to bag with the reel mower? The Grass type is Bermuda.
hey Ryan awesome channel, new Sub! I live in TX and have Bermuda. How do I transition to start cutting my grass lower without killing it? For ex// if I'm at 3" how do I get to .5 - 1"?
Hi, I have recently decided to pay some attention to my lawn and while researching came across your channel. I really like the content. I’m not a garden person, and when it comes to garden Id like to do as little as possible 😎 Which robot lawnmower would you recommend?
Hello i use a roller rotary mower that cuts to 3/8 of an inch it has a disc with blade tips,you can tell the difference between the cut if the rotary and the reel mower
the thing that scares me from cutting low is we were always told that thick grass shades out weeds...so it seems like if you cut it shorter even if its thick, weeds will need more attention...2ndly is doesnt it take more water to keep the lawn green the shorter it is cut?....
I enjoy mowing, but not enough time doing it every day or every other day....therefore I’ve tried a robot mower which is mowing every day. I’ve started with the highest setting, and week by week I went down to 1”. The lawn looks really great and thick....no thatch built up so far.
I got a small yard and use a rotary. I do it every other day when I get home from work to unwind a bit and get some fresh air for 10-15 minutes. It's much more gentle on the yard but does not look anywhere as nice as Ryan's, dang his lawn is beutiful.
Not necessarily. I have done it on a very bumpy lawn and even at 3/4" it didn't scalp because of the rollers. It is not a very fun experience with those bumps though.
Yes, you miss one thing!, Reel mowing keep you active. Instead of 2 twice a week outside moving around, from what you saing it could be 4 times a week!.. Burn those FATS be fit!.
I don't have a reel-mower, but with what I've learned from Ryan, Allen Hayne (The Lawncare Nut), "Hot-To-With-Doc", Brett's Grasscapades, Silver Cymbal and others who are producing these kids of videos, my own lawn (St. Augustine grass) is looking 200% better this year. People have taken notice and even asked, "Can you come and take care of MY lawn? I'd be happy to PAY YOU!" Well, you don't have to twist my arm to get me to take your money! I've only got a simple Troy-Bilt push mower, a Ryobi "Expand-It" kit with a weed-eater, blower, edger, hedge clipper, brush cutter and edger, then I picked up a Troy-Bilt walk-behind edger. Besides being able to earn enough extra money to help pay for my wife's Diabetes medications, I've sweated off 40+ pounds this this season. I also have a PERFECT excuse to pick up new lawn care tools. #BeLikeRyan #LawnDomination #LawnShameYourNeighbors
My mower died last night, so in the market for a new one. Currently switching bahia to zoysia, can't do it all at one time due to finances. So half my land will be zoysia and half bahia. Thinking i should get a reel mower for my future zoysia, but will it cut the bahia lawn that I have?
So wat happens when you mount the reel mower under a old unused riding mower. Super lazy cheap that's wat happens. About to mount one under mine. Just an idea, haven't seen any videos of it done
This guy gets on my nerves so bad... MOSTLY because he won't come fix my yard DESPITE me [not ever] asking him to do so. So aggravating!! lol. I don't have the money for this type of lawn.
I've got a 900 square foot putting green and a 200 square foot "fairway" in my backyard. I sodded it last spring with 007 bentgrass and it's a hell of a project. I spoon feed nitrogen roughly every two months but the fungus and keeping bluegrass at bay are my most expensive efforts. I cut at least 5 days a week and use a Toro Eclipse reel mower. I keep the green at 1/10th of an inch during the spring and fall and 1/8th of an inch during the summer. The fairway is easier at 1/4th of an inch. People have a tendency to use too much fertilizer and burn out lawns cut low so glad you mentioned the light fertilizing part. I expect it to be another year or so before the green really hits it's stride but it's a lot of fun in the meantime.
Neem oil for fungus. I make a gallon bucket with a teaspoon and teaspoon of peroxide to get it mixed into a gallon of hose water. Take that and water your garden with it then water normally. It will take care of black spot and molds, fungi. Works great.
Greenworks reel mower - amzn.to/4b27mLr
Earthwise 7 blade manual reel mower - amzn.to/3JnRqr1
Elite Grass Seed - ryanknorrlawncare.com/product-category/grass-seed/ryan-knorr-lawn-care-grass-seed/
Ryan Knorr Lawn Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs below. An affiliate advertising program is designed to provide a means for sites and creators to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com or other product sites. I receive a small commission through these links.
Just bought an 18in American push reel mower after watching this!
As a veteran of using manual reel mowers on 419 Bermuda hybrids, I’d like to offer s few observations from my experiences:
1) when getting very low (1” and below) the lighter, less expensive reel mowers (such as the otherwise excellent Scott’s 20”) just don’t work well. Once your grass thickens up from the low cut, the mower (even the Scotts at its lowest setting of 1”) will bounce off the grass, making it necessary to go over areas repeatedly and from various angles.
2) heavier manual reel mowers add much needed momentum to the job, making hangups due to surface irregularities or super-dense areas a breeze to push through
3) the over all time to manual reel mow often vs using a typical 21” rotary less often will be about the same, the key difference is you can not afford to miss a manual mow by more than a day or two, making a rotary mower as a backup essential. With a higher quality, heavy manual reel mower, you can mow FAST. I typically sprint across the yard, and my mower never bounces, it just shreds through (it gets cuttings hitting my neck, but whatever)
4) the Fiskars is a great mower for the price but it will not get you down to 419 Bermuda low low levels
5) the $300+ 21” Mascot Silent Cut does sub-1/2” cuts with ease. It’ll eventually level your yard for you (by shaving off high spots). After one pass with it I realized it was worth the money (which is dirt cheap by rotary standards but around 3x the cost of the Scotts). It’s low scissor like cut changed the nature of my grass and had both neighbors and their lawn care professionals claiming that I had replaced my grass with something new. I can’t praise it enough. Takes me 30 min to do a very complex 4000 sq ft front yard and 20 min to do a 5000 sq ft simpler backyard (I sprint on the runs, like an offensive lineman hitting the practice skids). I’m 56 years old, fwiw.
I'd like to try out that Mascot
Thanks!
Is there Any heavy duty Manuel reel mower under $200? I just need it for some spots that I can’t get on with my stand on mower because of the angle I would fall of my mower so I don’t need a big one a 14”-17” would do. I don’t need the 21” that’s too wide for the spot I need the reeler for
Awesome, i hope your 60s treats you well!
@@astroid99 Ha! TY! I have to take care of too many lawns now to use the manual reel and still have the time and energy to lift/ride/etc. I am thinking maybe of just doing it on my front yard (4000)..... But if anyone has smaller area to mow and doesn't mind the clippings getting all over them (keep some reel-mowing-only junk pants and socks and shoes around) it can't be beat. Everyone should exercise, but this way you get to admire the results of your exercise.
Nice series by the way watched them all!!
I cut around the bottom skirt of my rotary mower , extra 3" drop. Allowing to cut at 1"
Thank you for being so helpful and all the information.
The city water company had to replace their sewage pipes in our sub-division and destroyed all of our yards. All of that preparation the previous season wasted. Half of the yard looks decent, the other half looks too high. They placed different grass sod than the yard had and they put them on at a higher elevation, so it looks like the yard is not even. I'm sure it will eventually adjust and there will be an artificial high mound where they placed the sod. I'll have to reset everything again this year to get everything matching.
Sounds basically like my worst nightmare
who is the manufacturer of your white reel mower? I've never seen one like it.
Almost Perfect Vid Ryan ! One thing I would have added is Reel Mower maintenance, i.e. Blade Sharpening and or Back Lapping. But that aside you hit every point right on and as always A++++ rating on the video and editing! I seriously sit and wait sometimes for you vids to come out. Feeling like a Soap Opera Junky LOL! Keep-um coming! Chad Upstate NY
Haha yeah I felt like if the statement "mow every other day or sometimes every day" still had people interested then a little extra maintenance is not going to scare them either. :)
@@ryanknorrlawncare Haha! You got a good point there. What camera's are you using? just popped this Vid up on my LG OLED TV watched it int 4k HDR. I could see everything like I was standing there! Un-Reel! I don't think any other creator in lawn care is sending 4K HDR up but you. Awesome!
The ole cheap Panasonic G7...I have had it since 2017 and it never lets me down but I'm looking at a few different new options soon
@@ryanknorrlawncare If your looking for a new Action cam check out the DJI OSMO Action, I got one for my son and I am really liking it myself verses the Go-Pro 7 Black. As for a camera with changeable lenses and zoom I would stick with Panasonic they still make awesome cameras! My 2-cents for what its worth!
“If you mow infrequently like once a week.”
*laughs in Utah during a drought*
I feel like having a great lawn is low key one of those super addictive things that goes under the radar.
I'm obsessed now lol
Yup lol. I didn't even realize but your Right
But I always notice lawns! I don't want to be one of those people with the Tru-Green or Chem-Lawn sign in the front! I want to do it myself, with the fewest chemicals possible to achieve the look. I'm willing to put in the time.
I’m hooked now
don't worry the East Siberian Arctic Shelf Methane Bomb has been triggered. Abrupt global warming will be doubling soon. The Fungi are definitely gonna take over the lawns. haha. arctic-news.blogspot.com
But how do you keep the golfers off your lawn?
Lol
You don’t...
We will find your yard... And we will golf it!
Hire a grumpy old man to sit on your step and yell at people
Paddywhacker93 we are the grumpy old men
The rodenator!
Literally fills their burrows up with explosive gas and blows them away search on UA-cam it's epic!
Reel all the way. No need to worry about gas, oil, tire replacement, belts, battery replacement..
Sure do that with 2 acres 😂
@@mdanielp2I can, with my remote controlled reel lawn mower 😎
@@mdanielp2Good exercise !
I’m so glad you made this video. This is what initially got me in trouble with my lawn many years ago. Having tall fescue and not aware of its proper cut height, I initially purchased a reel mower with a battery assist (Brill). I was trying to be more environmentally conscious, and I heard reel blades gave a better cut. Plus I thought the battery power was great. For a while I could cut it with this mower, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult. Over time the lawn turned into a weed salad. I’m so grateful for this lawn care community. I have been watching your videos since the beginning of this year, and thanks to your advice, I’ve been able to turn this lawn around. 👍🏻
or just stop being anal about lawns n fill your lawn w garfens that produce foods instead of chemicals
dude if i cut my lawn that short the sun would fry it...I am in california during summer i leave it tall and water twice a day to keep it green. if i forget a day its burnt spots. we get weeks of 100+ days.
What part of the country are you in?
Yeah I live is southern ontario and it is scorching and humid everyday through the summer. the only way I'd have a lawn like this is if I kept the sprinkler running 24/7. And there's no way to have 3/4 grass here unless it's your full time job.
@@MW-qv5ox lol right...i know people are obsessed with a "golf course" short cut when we both know its the 70's "SHAG" for a healthy lawn....lol
I'm in South Australia and it's damn hot here in summers. Key is watering and also grass type. I have a warm season grass - specifically Santa Ana couch which I think is called Bermuda there. Watering is done only 1-2 times a week and I make sure an inch of water gets on it per week which on my sprinklers is an hour, in summer I split that to two 30min sessions. Also water early morning so it has time to soak in. Watering less often causes the grass to improve its root system. Also coring and decent fertilisers. Just got to be doing the right things. My grass is about 15-18mm
I’ve been watching everything you put out. I’m about one year behind you but benefiting from it all, keep It coming
I cannot thank you enough for all the great content. My yard is looking a hundred times better than it used to and I tell everyone about your channel when they ask about my lawn
i like my reel mower. great channel by the way. anyway im not into a short grass look yet and the reel mower cuts extremely well. after using it i am amazed as to how even it cuts and takes the same amount of time if i had used a rotor mower. my opinion the rotor cant compete with the reel mower if you stay on top of your lawn mowing. i think i even hear my grass applaud and breath a sigh of relief when i use it.
How much do you have to water in the summer with such short grass?
I have always been told that cutting your grass to short is not good for it. It seems like you cut yours very short. Can you explain why and if the advice I have always gotten isn’t the best.
FWIW, I live in Central Illinois.
Next topic, bagging versus recycling clippings, please. Thank you
Mulching grass is far better for the lawn and environment.
Is there a reel mower you could recommend? I've looked online and there are many brands and types, and not sure which to possibly buy
If you want a manual push mower, the CL Clipper is the way to go. You can find them anywhere there is Amish people usually. They use them a lot.
If you love your lawn, have the time and money then a powered reel mower with a cartridge system is what you want, if not then the rotary is for you. If you have steep hills then a rotary probably works best. Btw, Ryan, you should do a video on how to backlap your reels mowers.
Hey Ryan, greetings from Poland, Europe! :)
Do you hav any experience with microclover lawn? I'll be doing one shortly and I'm wondering which kind of mower will be the best for it. Cheers!
The dethatching/power raking step is crucial. I had the same experience taking my front yard down. Made it so much easier. Feels much softer and more enjoyable to walk on after as well!
Completely agree
Dethatching Bermuda is not good
Dethatching is key! That dead stuff, if thick enough, will big down any mower. Awesome video!
👏
You still use the Side chute😂😂😂😂
Try a UK cylinder (reel) mower with 16 or 20 blades, the finish is amazing. We use them for cricket squares, bowling greens and tennis courts, they make them look like velvet.
Very good video. I've gone back to a reel mower. I don't want to use gas and oil anymore and I need and want the exercise using a reel mower.
Nice lawn
But you are addicted to it
I hope you channel makes u enough money so u are able to mow u lawn every day
Or crypto perhaps
Your lawn is pristine I enjoy your video's and the way I see my lawn
what kind of grass are you cutting at 3/4"?
Thanks for the tip Ryan. I’ve been cutting at 1.5” -1.75” on the same hrx you have. Tonight I went down on a test strip to ~1” and that’s when I realized I can’t go that low without leveling. I’m encourage to try but that maybe a project for next year.
Enjoy all your videos..thanks!
Ryan: I watched a recent UA-cam video of the English Arsenal football club and they were mowing the playing surface. they were using rotary honda mowers, but they replaced the rear wheels with a roller to help create the stripes and get the mower very low. I have seen roller attachment behind rotary mower, but I didn’t know if you had ever seen someone take off the rear wheels and replace them with a cylinder roller. They were mowing below 1/2 inch for sure.
Yes I have seen those. You need a super flat surface though since that blade will scalp pretty easy at that height
Ryan Knorr Lawn Care Thanks for replying. I do know about scalping first-hand as I just cut my Bermuda front yard 1/2 inch with a rotary yard and it is showing some rings from it being too low. I am now telling my wife I need a cylinder mower, so I have my eye on an Allett electric mower. Have you ever seen an Allett performance first-hand?
How often do you mow your lawn? mine is like a mountain range, there is that many lumps and bumps
xD
Probably twice a week
I prefer taller grass in my yard. It's like do you want berber carpet or plush, lol. That and we had those reel mowers when I was a kid and they are a PITA to use especially if there's any crabgrass or dandelions in the yard. I'll leave those reel mowers to the Amish.
Which regards to rotary mowers, the speed that you walk has an affect on the cut quality. If you walk more slowly the blades rotate more times over a given area and the suction has more time to lift the grass.
You are definitely one of those "Get off my lawn!" guys. :-)
Yeah, mowing once a week is not often enuff...wow!
i just want to know why a basic lawnmower now has jumped up to 230% vs a decade r two ago when u could buy em @ ur local hardware store for bout 100 dollars...now they want 260 to 330 dollars for em...a freakun rip off...
Probably the increased requirement for reduced emissions on gas mowers. More fuel efficient and lower emissions motors cost more.
I'm sorry, can you explain why you want the grass so short?
I live in Maryland, the edge of "transition zone" and we primarily have cool season grasses with some occasional zoysia. I mow as high as I can so the grass is more easily striped and grows healthier.
When someone mows it short, we call it scalping and it looks awful and hurts the grass.
I know some grasses should be cut low, such as Bermuda or such, but you saying numbers such as 1.75", 1.25", and 0.75" is scary!
I'm pretty sure its just an aesthetic choice, he wants that golf course look and feel on his lawn. There is no way in hell I would be mowing my lawn every other (and sometimes every!) day but it does look appealing.
I've been wondering how you kept a cool season grass so short, had no idea it could be trained to leaf out at lower heights.
Great video, Ryan! I learned a lot and you answered a lot of questions I had! Love your channel, and I never miss a video. Keep up the great work!
I'm watching a dude mow his lawn.
I have no idea what put this into my UA-cam feed, but here I am. Not gonna lie . . . alcohol may have been a contributing factor.
brilliant comment, made my day
Just another drifter here. Marijuana may have been a contributing factor in my visit.
I prefer my 10 foot bush hog with my farmall MD ta and I can cut anything very well.
What kind of grass do you have?
I have two yards to care for, mine and my sisters--who lives next door. It's tough work, since I do it with one rotary mower. I'd love to go with reel for the two front lawns. Is it possible to use one in one area, one in another, and not have the fronts and backs look noticeably different? Right now the lawns are in terrible shape. My baseball coach/son, who has to care for his field, is going to help me this fall, but I want to have a plan. Any suggestions for that? I'm willing to spent a moderate amount of $$$, and I expect this to be a several-year project.
Just started following your channel three weeks ago, wanting to get a better lawn. 10 days ago I dethatched, topsoiled and prepared the (now extremely bare) lawn. 8 days ago I sowed (with some RPR I got from the greenkeeper at my golf club), and today the first few leaves of grass has shown. Now I just need to convince my wife that a Swardman is essential.
P.S. Temperatures are hovering around 15 C (60 F) at the moment.
Nice
Why not use multiple wheels with multiple blades and allow the wheels to go up and down with the flatness or bumps of the lawn like angstrom style and power it by some nickola tesla sending electricity to the mower so you don't cut the cord like that? :)
I had a motorized reel mower in the 60's. 18" wide with a briggs motor on top. To bad they dont make them
anymore.
I'm not paying $2000 for a small yard.
Would a real mower be good for the type of grass that grows here in South Carolina? And do you have a particular reel mower recommendation?
Another amazingly informative video. Thanks, perhaps touch a bit on leveling the lawn before going to a reel mower so you won’t have scalp marks all over the lawn.
Having a nice flat surface makes reel mowing possible
Very true but with dual rollers it can actually be fairly bumpy...ask me how I know? haha
Thank you Ryan. I bought a manual mower and it worked just fine. . . I had to run over a few more passes and the outcome was excellent. . . I have saved myself of the running cost of these machines. . .
Very interesting and educational video, Ryan! In 1953, my father bought our first self-propelled reel-style lawn mower, manufactured by REO, a division of the car/truck manufacturer, at the time. Years later, we replaced it with a rotary mower. It seems like our experience with the reel mower was that it seemed to cut the grass, instead of tearing it, as our rotary mower did. Maybe it was because my dad sharpened our reel mower blades regularly? Either way, it was an interesting experience. Thank you!
You should run some N-Ext products on that slope behind your fence. That would be interesting to see!
First way to commit to reel mowing and mow everyday or ever other day? Don't have kids.
I am glad that you talked about how it is a bit more work to keep up with a shorter cut lawn. You definitely have to be dedicated to it.
Or you get a robot mower ;)
Every other day for me, but I can do it just before dawn and begin the day with a nice warmup! Much faster than how long it takes me to mow with my 21” Toro, too.
Dude I’m mowing 2x sometimes 3x a week right now at 1 1/4” lol. It’s a lot of work.
@@DIYDad1 I'm at 2 now. Not sure I can go much lower.
Jason G yeah that’s about as low as I can go with my Honda. Don’t get me wrong it still looks fantastic at that height with a rotary!
Good stuff. I love having a nice lawn but I won't spend my life savings and all of my time on it. I'll be boating on the lake instead.
🤣 yea, like a boat won't wipe out the savings...the best thing about a boat is the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.
Here is the answer, get a robot mower. Drink a beer while watching......
Always read that a longer lawn is healthier, especially in the summer. Am I wrong? looks like it.
The lawn length can be whatever you want it to be. The program just changes accordingly with management.
So inspiring to watch - I get addicted to these vids.
Initially I bought a Gardena Sileno Smart 500 - but just borrowed a AL-KO Gudenaa GU 400 from one of my friends - and what a cut! Dont think Im gonna keep my Gardena Sileno Smart 500, might as well gonna sell it again.
Cheers from Denmark!
Very informative video, thanks! Learned things about grass height. For my asthmatic family and some neighbors, air quality trumps cut quality so I've always used a push reel mower, which for me is the traditional mower dating back to the 1800s. Although I suppose scythes and livestock date back even further.
Mowing every 1-2 days?! More power to y'all "low mowers", but this is definitely not for me :) It's funny people think that mowing low means less mowing, but the 1/3 rule actually means MORE mowing, unless of course you don't mind a stressed brown lawn every week. P.S. My wife thinks I'm crazy for watching lawn videos all the time :D
Cutting your lawn with a rotary mower is like cutting your hair with a butter knife being used by Chuck Norris. Cutting your lawn with a reel mower is like cutting your hair with scissors at a barbershop.
This is a good reference video for the future on compare/contrast the different mowers.
Question and apologies if I missed the answer: how level does the land need to be to benefit from a reel mower?
I just finished the second mow on the front with the reel. Such a huge difference in quality of cut and the grass is responding better.
👍
@@trevormuggeridge4560 Trevor!!!
How do you sharpen your real mower? How often?
Love the video! I got into reel mowing when I bought a townhouse. Front lawn is 270 sqft. House had a reel mower in the basement. I didn't want to store oil and gas and a rotary mower because space is at a premium. Reel it is and I love it!
Can you go over which types of grass you have around your yard? KBG, Rye, monostands, mixes, I can't keep up.
Makita makes a cordless scarifier marketed in UK, I would love to get my hands on it. I would dethatch the power cable with my luck if I had a GreenWorks or SunJoe 😉
Plus, I am Zone 8B (plants), so I typically cut my lawn at 2 1/2"-3 1/4".
As these Northern Grasses are healthier at "longer lenghths".
Any suggestions are WELCOME!😎
Thank you for sharing your video series!
Take care,
🤓 -Thomas
Western Washington State
Once the crappy weather is on it’s way out and the grass starts to finally grow,. I get into the mindset of mowing as I feel it’s getting too long, this in turn helps with my mindset and depression a lot. After watching thing I’m looking forward to seeing some more sunshine and a nicely cut lawn. Thanks for your show, you pass on tips and trick that I would have gotten from my grandfather who was a greens man for a local outside bowling club. Keep up the great work and I will keep looking forward to seeing some of your new videos...Phil in the UK 🇬🇧
Thanks for watching!
Great video.... what about using a reel mower on kikuyu grass?
Ryan, how smooth does the ground need to be to reel mow? You used your reel mower on what looked to be outside of your fence, which I doubt you have ever leveled!
I’m revisiting this video now, because I’ve got the fee-va.... So, I’m using Black Beauty Ultra in my front yard. I’m really thinking about going to the reel. I already mow daily or every other now with my Honda rotary at 2.5”. If I was to go to a Cali Trimmer that will cut at 2.25” will I be OK? That Black Beauty is mostly TTTF/Rye/KBG. Am I crazy to go down this road?
I think I found what I am binge watching for the next week!!!
I did purchase a rotary mower with a string trimmer, edging tool, etc (Ego tools). I have a backyard and front including side (corner house) to mow. The bagging gets too tiring. Only the back or front gets 2 and 1/2, 40G bags 3/4 full. I was thinking of mulching but then read about thatching concerns. What is the best way for me to mow without bagging? What would be the frequency and extra care that I need to take? I am looking for a low cut grass. Do I need to bag with the reel mower? The Grass type is Bermuda.
hey Ryan awesome channel, new Sub! I live in TX and have Bermuda. How do I transition to start cutting my grass lower without killing it? For ex// if I'm at 3" how do I get to .5 - 1"?
Ryan when you say small doses of fertilizer more frequently can you tell us how many lbs/nitrogen per 1000 sq ft and how often?
It will depend on growing conditions but I did somewhere around .2 every two weeks
@@ryanknorrlawncare Thank you
The reel mower is the traditional mower.
I'll bet I could mow my lawn in 10 minutes with that double blade mower.
Hi, I have recently decided to pay some attention to my lawn and while researching came across your channel. I really like the content. I’m not a garden person, and when it comes to garden Id like to do as little as possible 😎 Which robot lawnmower would you recommend?
😴😂😂
Hello i use a roller rotary mower that cuts to 3/8 of an inch it has a disc with blade tips,you can tell the difference between the cut if the rotary and the reel mower
My brother said, looks like you put a lot of work into your lawn this year.....no, I started using a manual reel set to about 1"......siblings...
Is the fungus an issue due to the HOC, or just a problem in your area etc?
Short cut grass tends to be more susceptible to it. I don't know the exact science behind it but my climate does not help matters.
Any suggestions about deck extensions pls?
the thing that scares me from cutting low is we were always told that thick grass shades out weeds...so it seems like if you cut it shorter even if its thick, weeds will need more attention...2ndly is doesnt it take more water to keep the lawn green the shorter it is cut?....
Weeds have not been a problem for me in 2 seasons doing this and I didn't use crabgrass preventer either. Water has not been much different either.
I enjoy mowing, but not enough time doing it every day or every other day....therefore I’ve tried a robot mower which is mowing every day. I’ve started with the highest setting, and week by week I went down to 1”. The lawn looks really great and thick....no thatch built up so far.
I got a small yard and use a rotary. I do it every other day when I get home from work to unwind a bit and get some fresh air for 10-15 minutes. It's much more gentle on the yard but does not look anywhere as nice as Ryan's, dang his lawn is beutiful.
I think you forgot to mention that you need to have a level ground when it comes to using a reel mower.
Not necessarily. I have done it on a very bumpy lawn and even at 3/4" it didn't scalp because of the rollers. It is not a very fun experience with those bumps though.
I love the Gladiator Garageworks in the background!
Hey Ryan, what grass do you have? Don't know what area you're in but I get the sense its cool season grasses?
Kentucky Blue and Perennial Rye
What kind of feedback do you get from your neighbors, mowing every day, making them look bad🤬😁
I'd be asking how I could get mine to look that way! But, on the other hand, they can see it takes work! LOL
That was a great video explaining what dedication it takes to mow low! It’s definitely not for everyone.
How can that grass in the front be mowed so short yet look so good?
Yes, you miss one thing!, Reel mowing keep you active. Instead of 2 twice a week outside moving around, from what you saing it could be 4 times a week!.. Burn those FATS be fit!.
I don't have a reel-mower, but with what I've learned from Ryan, Allen Hayne (The Lawncare Nut), "Hot-To-With-Doc", Brett's Grasscapades, Silver Cymbal and others who are producing these kids of videos, my own lawn (St. Augustine grass) is looking 200% better this year.
People have taken notice and even asked, "Can you come and take care of MY lawn? I'd be happy to PAY YOU!" Well, you don't have to twist my arm to get me to take your money!
I've only got a simple Troy-Bilt push mower, a Ryobi "Expand-It" kit with a weed-eater, blower, edger, hedge clipper, brush cutter and edger, then I picked up a Troy-Bilt walk-behind edger. Besides being able to earn enough extra money to help pay for my wife's Diabetes medications, I've sweated off 40+ pounds this this season. I also have a PERFECT excuse to pick up new lawn care tools. #BeLikeRyan #LawnDomination #LawnShameYourNeighbors
And you can manual reel mow at dawn before the heat hits! Great beginning to the day.
My mower died last night, so in the market for a new one. Currently switching bahia to zoysia, can't do it all at one time due to finances. So half my land will be zoysia and half bahia. Thinking i should get a reel mower for my future zoysia, but will it cut the bahia lawn that I have?
So wat happens when you mount the reel mower under a old unused riding mower. Super lazy cheap that's wat happens. About to mount one under mine. Just an idea, haven't seen any videos of it done
This guy gets on my nerves so bad... MOSTLY because he won't come fix my yard DESPITE me [not ever] asking him to do so. So aggravating!! lol. I don't have the money for this type of lawn.
Great stuff, I have long wanted to get a Reel mower, but I don't know how realistic it is for me to cut 8,500 sqft every other day.
it's not unless you have OCD.
I've got a 900 square foot putting green and a 200 square foot "fairway" in my backyard. I sodded it last spring with 007 bentgrass and it's a hell of a project. I spoon feed nitrogen roughly every two months but the fungus and keeping bluegrass at bay are my most expensive efforts. I cut at least 5 days a week and use a Toro Eclipse reel mower. I keep the green at 1/10th of an inch during the spring and fall and 1/8th of an inch during the summer. The fairway is easier at 1/4th of an inch. People have a tendency to use too much fertilizer and burn out lawns cut low so glad you mentioned the light fertilizing part. I expect it to be another year or so before the green really hits it's stride but it's a lot of fun in the meantime.
Neem oil for fungus. I make a gallon bucket with a teaspoon and teaspoon of peroxide to get it mixed into a gallon of hose water. Take that and water your garden with it then water normally. It will take care of black spot and molds, fungi. Works great.